wildfire

American  

[wahyld-fahy^uhr] / ˈwaɪldˌfaɪər /

noun

1. any large fire in brush, forests, or open spaces that spreads rapidly and is hard to extinguish.

2. a highly flammable composition, such as Greek fire, difficult to extinguish when ignited, formerly used in warfare.

3. sheet lightning, unaccompanied by thunder.

4. the ignis fatuus or a similar light.

5. Plant Pathology. a disease of tobacco and soybeans, characterized by brown, necrotic spots, each surrounded by a yellow band, on the leaves and caused by the bacterium Pseudomonas tabaci.

6. Pathology Obsolete. erysipelas or some similar disease.

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wildfire British  

/ ˈwaɪldˌfaɪə /

noun

1. a highly flammable material, such as Greek fire, formerly used in warfare

2. 1. a raging and uncontrollable fire

   2. anything that is disseminated quickly (esp in the phrase spread like wildfire )

3. lightning without audible thunder

4. another name for will-o'-the-wisp

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wildfire Idioms  

1. see spread like wildfire.

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Etymology

Origin of wildfire

First recorded before 1000; Middle English wildefire, Old English wildfȳr; equivalent to wild + fire

Example Sentences

The Dubai chewy cookie has been selling like wildfire - and even restaurants that don't usually offer baked goods are trying to get a nibble of the market.

From BBC

However, wildfire safety advocates worry the measures endorsed by L.A.’s City Council will do little to prevent homes from burning.

From Los Angeles Times

I could swear I saw a blush spreading like wildfire from out of his starched collar, up his neck, and engulfing his cheeks.

From Literature

Nevertheless, "the big picture was alarming with regard to floods, severe... storms and wildfires in 2025", said Munich Re, a Germany-based provider of insurance for the insurance industry.

From Barron's

Kayda and David Johnson, both 77, moved there from San Diego in 2021, eager to leave behind California taxes and wildfires and attracted to the lifestyle in Naples and Moorings Park’s focus on “successful aging.”

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• blaze
• conflagration
• flare
• flash
• light
• spark